Electrical music-player.



1) J. HAUSS. ELECTRICAL MUSIG PLAYER. I

u'rpmuxon FILED In o. 2. 1909.

Patented Jan. 31, 1911.

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I 1). J; H'AU S S. ELEDTBIOAL musm PLAYER.

APPLICATION FILED D101 2, 190B.

Patented Jan. 31,1911.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID J. HAUSS, 0F AURORA, INDIANA.

ELECTRICAL Music-PLAYER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 31, 1911.

.Application fil ed December 2.1909. Serial No. 530,987.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID J. HAU SS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Aurora, in the county of Dear-born and, State of Indiana,have invented certain new .and useful Improvements in ElectricalMusic-Players, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in electrically actuated musicplayers.

One of its objects is to provide improved tracking mechanism adapted toproduce music from sheets of different scales.

Another object is to provide for :the use of sheets of different widths.M

Another object is to provide an automatic adjustment of the tracker tocausethe same to adjust itself to sidewise movements of the sheet, orvariations caused by expansion, contraction or swaying of the sheet orparts thereof. I i

Another obj ect is to provide in connection with the foregoing means tochange the key of the music.

It further consists in certain details of form, combination andarrangement, all of which will be more fully set forth in thedescription of the accompanying drawings in which: i v r Figure 1 is afront elevation of the tracker and music feeding rolls, with the contactroll omitted. Fig. 2 is .a diagram of the electrical connections for theautomatic tracker ad justment. Fig. 3 is a vertical section on line i wof Fig. 1 showing the link adjusters in end view. Fig. 4 is a detailperspective view of the contact roll supporting and adjusting mechanism.Fig. 5 is a detail View partly in section of the tracker adjustingmechamsm.

Fig. 6 is a sectional detail of the electrically actuated mechanism toautomatically adjust the tracker.

In the accompanying drawings A represents the frame in which theoperative parts are mounted.

B represents an electric motor by means of which the sheet rolls arerotated.

G represents the receiving roll which receives the sheet during the'actof playing. The roll C receives motion from motor B through a worm Z) onthe motor shaft driving a worm wheel Z) on the shaft 12 which carries abevel gear 6 driving a beveled gear Z) on shaft 5 which also carries aspur gear b. The shaft is axially in line with the shaft 0 of the rollC. The shaft 0 carries a spur gear 0- of the same size and pitch as thegear I). A movable pinion c is adapted to simultaneously mesh with gearse Z) to transmit motion from shaft 5 to shaft 0.

i The delivery-roll D is supported between centers cl d which are inturn carried on adjustable brackets .62? d slidably supported upon rods(Z (i land movable :to and from each other-to adjust the centers torolls carrying sheets of varying width by means of a series of links 6 e6 a e e which are piv otally connected. together and are connected at EE to the brackets 61 d 'Aflink f locked by ascrew' f and nut f to aslotted opening in the frame piece a forming the the centers d d to orfrom each other and .to

lock the same to the adjusted position by tightening nut F. i

The roll D is adapted to be driven in the reverse direction to roll C torewind the sheet on roll D tolaccoinplish which the cen- ,ter 61' has alimited movement relative to bracket cl and is splined upon andiadaptedtotelescope over shaft 03 and is held in engagement with roll-D byaspring cl. The shaft cl carries a spur gear cZ while a spur gear (Z ismounted upon the motor shaft adjacent to gear d A pinion cl is adaptedto simultaneously mesh with the gears al (Z to transmit motion from themotor shaft to shaft'd The pinions d are preferably carried upon asliding member d which serves to disengage one pnnon when the other isengaged. v

Commercial sheets are cut vto diiferent scales, say for instance thatwhile one series of sheets is out upon a scale of six notes to the inch,crosswise of the sheet, another series will be out upon a scale of ninenotes to the inch. ;In order to provide an instrument adaptedjto playfrom sheets of different scale, I provide a tracker preferablyadjustably mounted upon cross rods J 03 and provided with two or moreindependent sets of contact fingers arranged in different scales tocorrespond to the scales of the sheets to be played from. As illustratedin Fig. 3, G represents a tracker plate preferably of insulatingmaterial, which has a series of recesses on a scale of say six to theinch, in

which recesses are located a series of spring contact fingers g, theshanks g of which are seated in metal tubes 9 carried by the plate G,and which tubes serve to make electrical contact between the fingers andthe lead wires by means of metallic plugs attached to said wires anddetachably inserted into the opposite ends of said tubes.

H represents a tracker plate having a series of recesses on a scale ofsay nine to the inch in which recesses are mounted in the manner abovedescribed a series of spring contact fingers h, the metal tubes toreceive the shanks of fingers it being represented by h. The plate H isattached to the rear of plate G in such manner that the free ends offingers h are in alinement and below the fingers 9, said plates'G Hbeingmovable together crosswise of the sheet. 1

The brackets 03 d? carry rods 21 c" which project into recesses in theend of the bracket plates in position to depress the end fingers g it soas to shift said end fingers out of contact'with the sheet, and preventsounding the corresponding'music notes; hence in adjusting the brackets(13 d to receive a short music roll, the surplus fingers atopposite endsare automatically cut out by the rods it;

The tracker plates are primarily adjust able by hand to determine thekey ofthe music, which is effected by shifting "the tracker platescrosswise of the sheet. This adjustment -is efi'ected by moving thescrew stud I to the right or left in the slot i and then locking saidstud by means of nut 11?. The stud I is connected by a link 2" to leveri pivoted to frame A. The opposite end of lever i is in engagement withan annular groove in the end of a sleeve J which is supported by a rod Jcarried by frame A. The sleeve J in turn closely fits a sleeve 7'attached to the tracker plates, and is supported endwise betweenoppositely disposed springs j 7' pressing against collars j j carried bysleeve J. Thus the sleeve y' has a limited movement relative to sleeve Jdue to the yielding of springs y" while an endwise movement of sleeve Jbeyond'the limited elasticity of springs j 9' will serve to shift thetrackers endwise, which movement of the tracker is effected by movinglever '5 and serves to change the key.

K represents an electrically actuated controller which is carried by arod is attached to sleeve J and moves endwise with sleeve J and whichcontroller has a rod N connected to the trackers, and which due to theyielding of springs j 7' is enabled to shift the tracker to a limitedextent in either direction to compensate for the sidewise movementbuckle, or other inequality in the movement of the sheet. The movementsof the rod N are automatically controlled or effected by means ofelectromagnets 1:, having armatures 70 k which are immersed in a liquidcontained in a cylinder is between said magnets. L represents a plungerin said cylinder against which the flat faces of armaturcs 70 k arenormally pressed by springs n n which seat at the opposite ends againstcolother of the electrical circuits at contacts v p p to energize one ofthe magnets 7& 70". When one of the magnets 70 or k say 70 is energizedit draws its armature toward itself against the actionof its spring n,and thus opens a space between the attracted armatures and plunger L andpermits the liquid in cylinder k to flow through the passage Z inplunger L, and find a passage under its own pressure due to the tendencyof plunger L to move, between the faces of plunger L and armature 70*,and thus permits plunger L tomove toward the attracted armature drawingthe tracker into alinem'ent with the sheet. As soon as the circuitbrokenthe armature again by reason of its spring seats against theplunger and closes the passage Z" causing the liquid in cylinder k 'tolock thezplunger against movement. When the opposite magnet is energizedthe plunger is caused to move in the opposite direction, and thus thetracker is automatically adjusted to compensate for irregularities inthe feed of the sheet.-

The sheet is pressed by a contact roller M against the contact fingers gto play music out to the coarser scale or against the fingers h to playmusic out to a finer scale. The roller M is pivotally mounted in a framem which is pivotally supported upon links or arms m the upper ends ofwhich are provided 'with a series of pins m project-ing through slots min the frame A. Pivoted latch members m are adapted to engage eitherbeneath the lower pin m to lock the contact roller in position to engagethe fingers g or to engage between the two lower pins m to lock theroller M in position to engage the fingers h. A spring m serves to pressthe roller M in contact with the sheet. When the sheet is to be rewoundon roller D the rod m is pulled forward'to disengage the sheet from thecontact fingers.

The speed of the motor B is varied as re quired by shifting acontrolling lever B across a series of electrical contacts R.

S represents a link connected at one end to the controlling lever B andat the opposite end to an indicator 7' sliding in ways on the framepiece a, and-which indicator travels over a scale T which indicates tothe operator the speed or number of revolutions of the sheet roll .0.

The mechanism herein illustrated and described is capable ofconsiderable modification without departing from the principle of myinvention.

Having described my invention What I claim is:

1. In a, mechanism of the character described, sheet delivery andreceiving rolls adapted to feed a music sheet, a tracker provided withplural series of electrical contact fingers, said respective series ofcontact fingers being differently spaced, and a contact member adaptedto selectively contact with the fingers of said respective series.

2. In a mechanism of the character described a sheet delivery roll, asheet receiving roll, a sheet adapted to be fed from one of said rollsto the other, and electrical contact fingers arranged in plural seriesWith the respective series of fingers differently spaced, and means toengage any selected series of fingers with said sheet.

3. In a mechanism of the character described, a sheet delivery roll, asheet receiving roll, a sheet adapted to be fed from one of said rollsto the other, electrical contact fingers arranged in plural series withthe respective series of fingers differently spaced, a contact member onthe opposite side of said sheet from said contact fingers, and means toselectively bring said contact member into operative relations with therespective series of contact fingers.

4. In a mechanism of the character described, a music sheet, electricalcontact fingers arranged in plural series with the respective series offingers difierently spaced, and a contact member adapted to bring thesheet into operative relation with the desired series of contactfingers.

5. In a mechanism of the character described, a tracker board,electrical contact fingers arranged upon said board, a musicsheetadapted to be fed over said contact fingers, a contact member to holdsaid sheet in operative relation with said fingers, means to manuallyadjust said tracker board crosswise of the sheet, electrical contactmembers adapted to contact with opposite edges of the sheet, andelectrically actuated mechanism in electrical circuits controlled bysaid contact levers to automatically shift said tracker board.

6. In a mechanism of the character de' scribed a tracker boardelectrical contact fingers arranged upon said board, a. music sheetadapted to be fed over said contact fingers, a. contact member to holdsaid sheet in operative relation with said fingers, means to manuallyadjust said tracker board crosswise of the sheet, electrical contactmembers adapted to contact with opposite edges of the sheet, andelectrically actuated mechanism manually adjustable with said trackerboard, in electrical circuits controlled by said contact levers, andadapted to automatically move said tracker board crosswise of the sheet.

7. In a mechanism of the character described, mechanism adapted to feeda music sheet, a tracker provided with two independent series ofelectrical contact fingers, said respective series of contact fingersbeing differently spaced, and a contact member adapted to selectivelycontact with the fingers of either of said respective series.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

DAVID J. HAUSS.

Witnesses:

WALTER J. MURRAY, C. W. MILES.

